Westlake Academy Special Needs and Inclusion Policy

Westlake Academy Special Needs and Inclusion Policy Westlake Academy Vision Westlake Academy inspires students to achieve their highest individual potential in a nurturing environment that fosters the traits found in the IB Learner Profile: Inquirers, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principled, Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced, and Reflective Westlake Academy Mission Westlake Academy is an IB World School whose mission is to provide students with an internationally minded education of the highest quality so they are well-balanced and respectful life-long learners. Westlake Academy Values Maximizing Personal Development Academic Excellence Respect for Self and Others Personal Responsibility Compassion and Understanding 1

IB: Inclusive of all Learners Westlake Academy instills the attributes of the IB Learner Profile in all students, teachers, and parents as we strive to be: Inquirers Knowledgeable Thinkers Communicators Principled Open-Minded Caring Risk-takers Balanced Reflective All Westlake Academy students are IB students who are held accountable to the requirements in the IB Standards and Practices. Statement of Philosophy As inclusive programmes, we recognize that certain students may need additional support to assist them in their learning. Our teachers scaffold and differentiate learning methodologies within the classroom to accommodate these differing needs. We understand that some students with special needs need more support outside of the classroom and through direct instruction. Support for students with special needs, which includes physical, emotional, and learning difficulties, is provided through the following: Response to Intervention (RTI) Team, Reading Specialist, Section 504, and /or Special Education. Westlake Academy faculty and staff maintain a high degree of collegiality and professionalism. Collaboration between teachers, support teams, students, parents, and administrators is essential. In doing so, we are empowering all learners to achieve their highest potential. Purpose of the This document is to make explicit the special education philosophy of Westlake Academy, a multicultural school, offering an international education to children from K through Grade 12. It outlines the identification process, support services, and methods for establishing academic goals for students who qualify for support services. Student Identification Process Parent Request Parents or legal guardians may request an evaluation of their child. The RTI Team will collect data related to the parent s request and determine if an evaluation is 2

justified. A member of the RTI Team will contact the parent to acknowledge receipt and status of the request. If testing is needed, the appropriate person will obtain parental consent on the necessary forms and schedule the evaluation. If the RTI Team determines that testing is not necessary, written documentation of the refusal will be reviewed with the parent. Response to Intervention (RTI): RTI is a three-tiered approach to the early identification and support of students with academic, behavioral, social, emotional, or physical needs. RTI begins with regular classroom instruction and universal screening (tier 1). Struggling learners who are not making adequate progress in tier 1 are provided with increasing levels of support specific to their needs (tier 2). The frequency of support varies for each individual and can be provided through small group instruction. Progress is monitored to assess level of performance, and interventions are determined based on student response to instruction. Students who continue to show limited progress may be considered for more intensive interventions (tier 3). At this level, students receive individualized instruction based on their deficits as identified through comprehensive evaluations. The data collected during the three tiers must be used to make eligibility decisions. Response to Intervention The Response to Intervention (RTI) Team Regular meetings are held with the Principal, Coordinator, Counselor, Special Education Teacher, and the general education teachers. Students who need additional support are provided interventions based on the RTI process. Students who have been referred may be given further testing. The Student Support team will make suggestions and recommendations for further action regarding social, behavioral, and academic needs, as well as the need for ongoing parental communication. These suggestions and recommendations can include such things as strategies to use in the classroom and/or referral to the support staff. During the meetings, progress of the student will be reviewed, based on teacher feedback, assessment data, and student work samples. The RTI Team may make further recommendations to be implemented in the classroom, suggest continued monitoring of student progress, and/or refer the student for an educational evaluation. If assessment is recommended, the appropriate member of the RTI Team will secure parental consent and coordinate testing directly with the Diagnostician, Reading Specialist or School Psychologist. Levels of RTI Intervention Tier 1 Interventions: Are ideal for students who are least likely to lag behind in isolated areas or are beginning to experience difficulty. Tier 1 are universal interventions that apply to the entire student body. Tier 1 begins with a Research based core curriculum. Screening a minimum of three times a year with a standard measure. in order to establish areas of concern in individual or groups of students. 3

Periodic quizzes and teacher made assessments given throughout the year. Tier 1 interventions occur in the general education classroom and are implemented by the general education teacher. They can include (but are not limited to) reteaching, teaching using a multisensory approach, reteaching using a different approach, reteaching using different materials, using supplementary materials with struggling students and differentiating lessons in order to address the needs of all students in the classroom. Tier 2 Interventions: Tier 2 interventions often involve the help of an outside interventionist such as a Math interventionist or Reading interventionist (these interventionists do not include special education services which require the student have a disability recognized by IDEA. Strategic interventions are determined by assessment based data that clearly identify areas of concern. In order to make academic progress, students receiving Tier 2 Interventions need to be taught with a new approach, materials or curriculum. Examples of student receiving Tier 2 instruction include slow learners (IQ in the low average range, 70-90), and students who are struggling due to non disability related circumstances (i.e. socioeconomic, lack of educational opportunity etc.). Tier 3 Interventions: Students receiving Tier 3 interventions are performing significantly behind their peers (2 to 3 years below grade level performance). These interventions involve small group (3 to 4 students) and often have accommodations in place through a 504 plan. They are often (but not always) receiving specialized services such as supported instruction by the dyslexia specialist. 4

Procedures and Timelines for the RTI Process 1. Student Experiencing Difficulty: Student is experiencing sustained difficulty with acquiring skills and concepts as evidenced by data including but not limited to work samples, teacher made test scores (and single concept quizzes), standardized benchmarks. 2. Teacher Documents area of difficulty: Teachers gather data and meet with parents regarding difficulty. Bring the data to the RTI Team and select general education classroom interventions. 3. Teacher implements and monitors the interventions using the attached intervention record sheet. Continue the interventions for a period of time agreed upon by the RTI Team (6 to 8 weeks). 4. The teacher will evaluate the data to determine the success of the intervention. If the student is showing progress, the intervention is being successful. The student may still be behind others, but if the student is beginning to make progress, the intervention should be continued and gradually faded as the student s skill level has reached the teacher s goal. 5. If the student continues to experience difficulty following the first intervention, the teacher will bring their data back to the RTI Team and 5

notify the parent of the continued difficulty. The RTI Team will refine the current intervention or select new interventions based on the data. 6. The teacher will implement the new or revised interventions and record the data and analyze to determine whether or not the student is making progress. The interventions will continue for a time period agreed upon by the RTI Team (an additional 4 to 8 weeks). 7. The RTI Team will meet a third time to determine the need for further intervention. If after the second period of intervention, the student is showing progress, then the intervention will continue and gradually fade as the student s progress meet the goals of the teacher. 8. At this point the RTI Team may consider tier 2 interventions and possibly tier 3 interventions if the data indicates a need. All concerns including Speech and related services need to be addressed through the RTI process and discussed by the RTI Team. No referral to any services should be initiated without the knowledge and approval of the RTI Team. Independent Educational Evaluations Parents have the right to seek an Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE). The IEE is conducted by an examiner not affiliated with Westlake Academy. Parents are responsible for all costs associated with obtaining an IEE. When parents present the IEE report to the school, Westlake Academy personnel are required to review the report. This does not mean that Westlake Academy personnel are required to accept the findings and recommendations of the report. As a result, the student may not qualify for educational services provided by the school. In some cases, the school may wish to conduct additional testing provided by the school educational diagnostician. This list provides suggestions of professionals who conduct IEEs. It is not a comprehensive list and Westlake Academy does not endorse a particular examiner. The purpose of this list it to support parents as they begin to explore their options and determine a course of action they deem appropriate for their child. 1) Cornerstone Assessment and Guidance Center, LP Beth Lusby, Ph.D. 1215 Hall Johnson Rd. Suite 100 Colleyville, TX 76034 817-428-9810 2) Kristy Hagar, Ph.D. 1215 Hall Johnson Rd. Suite 100 Colleyville, TX 76034 214-649-9207 6

3) Heather Stephens, Ed.D 7423 Wentwood Dallas, TX 75225 214-597-8629 Section 504 Accommodations Section 504 Accommodation Plans serve students within the general educational population that need accommodations. This safeguards students through the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 applies to ensure students with disabilities are provided with educational support and opportunities equal to those provided to students without disabilities. These students are identified through a committee meeting as having a physical or mental impairment such as: ADHD/ADD learners Learners with characteristics of dyslexia Allergies and other physical disabilities that do not interfere with intelligibility. Special Education Services The Special Education services are guided by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004 (Title 20 United States Code) and No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). We provide students with disabilities a free and appropriate public education that strives to meet each child s unique needs. Our goal is to ready the student for further education, employment and independent living as well as to ensure that the rights of children with disabilities and parents of such children are protected 1. With parental consent, we identify and evaluate students with disabilities for Special Education services through a variety of assessments, which can include Response to Intervention (RtI) data. Reports are used to develop an Individual Education Plan (IEP) for students with disabilities. The Special Education teacher, paraprofessionals, and therapists work closely with classroom teachers to assist identified students with learning activities and experiences. Using the IEP, the Special Education staff and classroom teachers collaborate to prepare lessons and other instructional materials to accommodate the student s ability and promote intellectual, emotional, physical, and social growth. The special education team monitors the student s learning and sends IEP progress reports to parents along with the child s classroom report card. Special Education services could include the following, based on individual educational needs: Academic Instruction Cognitive & Academic Evaluations Speech/Language Therapy Occupational Therapy 7

Classroom Support Developmental /Behavioral Support Staff Development Assistive Technology Support for parents Westlake Academy s Legal Framework for the Child-Centered Special Education Process can be found on http://framework.esc18.net. 1 20 U.S.C Sec 1400(d)(1) Support Staff Counselor: The Westlake Academy Counselor supports students who have social/emotional needs that impact their well-being at school. Avenues of support include, but are not limited to, individual and group sessions, peer mediation, crisis management, behavior management, and linking with agencies to provide a broader range of services to families and students. In the PYP, the counselor visits each classroom on a rotating schedule or as requested by the general education teacher, providing guidance lessons centered around the IB Learner Profile. In the MYP and DP, the counselor visits as needed. Dyslexia Therapist: The Westlake Academy Reading Specialist provides dyslexia services to our dyslexic population using a comprehensive curriculum that includes targeted phonics instruction, comprehension, fluency, vocabulary and spelling. Special Education Teacher: The Special Education teacher support students with special needs by providing academic instruction, as well as social skills support. The role requires the special education teacher to coordinate with teachers, parents and related service providers to create a supportive network to help with the students learning. This teacher initiates and maintains proper documentation for each special needs student, in accordance with state and federal regulations. Special Education Paraprofessionals: The Special Education Assistants support students with special needs in the classroom. They work with the Special Education teacher and the classroom teachers to help increase student learning. Speech/Language Pathologist: The Speech/Language Pathologist works with students exhibiting communication difficulties. This person helps to remediate issues with voice, fluency, expressive and receptive language and articulation. The speech/language pathologist strives to include the classroom curriculum as much as possible during her therapy sessions. Occupational Therapist: The Occupational Therapist helps students with special needs develop and improve functional skills, such as handwriting, visual motor skills, organization, etc for increased success in the classroom. Physical Therapist: Physical therapists work collaboratively with a student's IEP team to improve student access and participation in school. 8

Educational Diagnostician: The Diagnostician selects and administers formal and informal assessments to determine student eligibility for special education services. This person provides diagnostic information and educational recommendations based on student s evaluation. Included in these duties is the responsibility to review special education paperwork for accuracy and compliance with state and federal guidelines. Special Needs Essential Agreements 1. We will ensure we make good use of all resources we have available from Special Education, RTI Team, Response to Intervention (RTI), Counselor, Classroom and Specialist teachers, and outside individuals (such as OT, Speech, Diagnostician, etc.). 2. We agree that the RTI Team committee is the primary resource for student issues in the IB programmes. 3. We agree to utilize Special Education teachers as a resource for suggestions, assistance, and accommodations/modifications for students after the RTI process has been exhausted. 4. We agree that it is essential that the classroom teachers will consider suggestions from Special Education and RTI, documenting actions taken. 5. We agree that any Special Educational need will be documented and communicated to the appropriate classroom teachers and maintained as required. 6. We agree that all teachers will carefully implement Individual Education Plans (IEPs), 504 modifications, and accommodations set forth during the ARD, 504, and RTI meetings. 7. We agree to uphold the importance of student confidentiality. As professionals, we will discuss student issues only with others who have an educational need to know. 8. We agree that as teachers we are responsible for continued development in our understanding of Special Education behaviors and disorders through personal research, attending conferences, and sharing expertise and experiences in staff meetings. 9. Due to 177 instructional days, we understand that we have time constraints to follow before the end of the school year approaches. Therefore, we agree to address educational concerns promptly, in case further testing or evaluations are warranted. For Special Education needs, IDEA timeframes state that testing must begin within 60 days of parent consent. If the end of spring semester is near, testing may have to be addressed when school resumes in August. 9